Sometimes it is useful to utilize existing islands or even make man-made islands in bodies of water which become iced over during winter months. A particular, but not limiting, example is the offshore drilling and/or production of gas and/or oil in polar regions such as the Arctic Ocean.
In such situations atmospheric and other environmental events can cause the ice layer formed on the surface of the body of water to move horizontally on such surface forming multiple layers of ice, pressure ridges, and the like, having a resultant thickness substantially greater than even the originally substantial ice thickness. When the single layer or multiple layers of ice is caused to move, the ice can pile up on islands which are in the direction of movement. This can cause substantial damage to the islands. Of course, in the situation of a man-made island the island may be made so large that ice movements will not substantially damage it, but this is extremely expensive even in situations where sufficient building material is available which often is not the case.
Accordingly, it is desirable to construct a man-made island or to reinforce a natural island in a manner such that it is economical to resist ice movement.